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November 2003

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11/30/03		Volleyball Not Included In NCAA Tournament Field (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Despite becoming just the second team in Conference USA history to reach the 30-win mark, the University of Memphis volleyball team (30-6) was not included in the 64-team NCAA Championship tournament field it was announced, Sunday night. With just C-USA Champion Louisville, and at-large Cincinnati in the tournament field, this marks just the first time in six years that Conference USA has not sent three teams into the NCAA Tournament. Undefeated Southern Cal is the tournament's top seed, and will face New Hampshire, who received an automatic bid into the tournament and will open play Friday. The omission means the Tigers wrapped the 2003 season with a 30-6 overall record and also marks the ends of the Tiger careers of seniors Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) and Shella Neba (Aurora, Colo./St. Mary's). Barnett finishes her career as the program's third ranked player with 1,349 career kills and eighth with 1,174 career digs. Neba finishes her career ranked fourth in career block assists and eighth in career block solos. In all, the two seniors guided the Tigers to two 20+ win seasons and one 19 win season. Memphis has not made the NCAA Volleyball Tournament field since 1994. In that tournament, the Tigers were defeated by San Diego State, 3-1, in the first round of that tournament.

11/30/03		With 7 Turnovers, Sloppy Tigers Hand Game To Bulls -- Gift-Wrapped (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 30, 2003 The monthlong celebration, one that began when the University of Memphis won its sixth game Nov. 1, had to end eventually. The odds were in favor of the party being crashed. Leading receiver Maurice Avery and veteran offensive lineman Andrew Handy were lost to injuries two weeks ago at Louisville. Leading rusher DeAngelo Williams, a contender for Conference USA offensive player of the year, was felled by a knee injury last weekend. And quarterback Danny Wim prine, who had struggled in victory last weekend, struggled again: four interceptions and 12 deflected, tipped or nearly intercepted passes among his 51 attempts. On Saturday, a Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium crowd of 47,875 that had been poised to send the Tigers off to the postseason watched a depleted U of M self-destruct. Seven turnovers, including two inside the South Florida 15-yard line, proved too much for a strong defensive effort to offset, and the Tigers had their five-game win streak snapped in a 21-16 C-USA loss to South Florida. The Tigers (8-4 overall, 5-3 C-USA) ended their most successful regular season in 30 years and will be invited to a bowl game today - likely the New Orleans Bowl - but it may take several days to shake off the effects of such a mistake-prone performance. "We gave one away today, and I thought we had gotten past that," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "I thought we had gotten past the point where we do those kind of things to give games away." Memphis outgained South Florida in yards (458-192), first downs (23-8), offensive plays (89-64) and time of possession (30:40 to 29:20). It also had a decisive advantage in turnovers (7-2), an edge that led to its only loss in November. Wimprine, who surpassed the 7,000-yard career passing mark Saturday, was intercepted four times, including three picks by USF's J.R. Reed. "We didn't play well at all," Wimprine said. "It was a terrible day for me. We just kept putting the ball on the ground and kept throwing interceptions. You can't win like that. "I definitely came out and lost this one. It wasn't a lot of fun." Wimprine was 25-of-51 for 271 yards and two touchdowns, but misfired often and was plagued by several dropped passes. He's been intercepted seven times in two games after going four games without being picked. Wimprine wasn't alone in accepting blame. Running back Derron Parquet, filling in for Williams, rushed for a game-high 164 yards, but fumbled twice, including one that was returned 45 yards for a touchdown by, who else, Reed. "I almost feel like it was my fault," Parquet said. "As much as I did to try and help us win, I felt I did an equal amount to help us lose. "One of those fumbles the guy ran back for a touchdown, whether I was down or not, the ref said I was up, so it was a fumble. I'm just disappointed we couldn't pull it out for the seniors." Playing their final home game were eight seniors, mostly on a defense that did its best to rescue a struggling offense. The Tiger defense limited USF to 25 yards rushing, including minus-8 in the second half. The Bulls (7-4, 4-4) managed but 57 second-half yards. But a combination of USF interceptions and a 96-yard kickoff return by Reed (who else?) to open the second half allowed the Bulls to overcome the Memphis defensive effort. Memphis kicker Stephen Gostkowski added a 45-yard field goal on the ensuing Tiger possession for a 10-7 lead, but less than two minutes later Reed grabbed a fumble and raced down the left sideline to give USF a 14-10 advantage. In the closing minutes of the third quarter, Reed stepped up again, picking off Wimprine at the Memphis 40 and taking the ball to the 25, before tossing a lateral to D'Juan Brown. Seven plays later, DeJuan Green rambled in from four yards out for a 21-10 Bulls lead. And Reed came up with a key interception early in the fourth quarter after the Tigers recovered a fumble at the USF 17. Wimprine led the Tigers to their final score - a 9-yard fade to freshman Ryan Scott - with 4:27 left. Any hopes of a late Memphis comeback were dashed a minute later when USF quarterback Pat Julmiste completed a 58-yard pass to Chris Iskra to the Tiger 21. "I think most people thought we might not have a prayer because we lost to UAB last week (and thus ended hopes of becoming bowl eligible)," said USF coach Jim Leavitt. "And we only had one quarterback healthy." But Reed's highlight-reel performance, and Memphis's nightmarish afternoon, made the upset possible. The Tigers drove from their 29 to the USF 29 on their opening possession, only to have Gost kow ski's 46-yard attempt sail wide right. The U of M got inside the USF 15 on its next possession, but LaKendus Cole fumbled. Memphis broke through on its following series, going 52 yards in three plays. The Tigers got the touchdown when Wimprine faked a pitch, rolled right and threw back across the field to a wide-open Darron White for a 36-yard score. But after White's TD, the Tigers were mostly ineffective. "We had a lot riding on this game," West said. "Who knows? If we win this game, we might have a shot to get in the Top 25. "We had a lot, lot riding here today. I just hate to lose like that. I might get beat, but I don't like to give 'em away." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/30/03		Season To Savor -- Loss Doesn't Diminish Tigers' Great Year, Bowl Dreams (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact November 30, 2003 Charlie Smithers, Tiger fan, wore his favorite barbecue apron for the final game of the season. "Will cook for a bowl game," it said. Smithers bought the apron four years ago. It's seen a lot of great barbecue and bad football. But today, the meal is finally served. Today, the University of Memphis will be invited to a bowl game for the first time since 1971. "I'm going to embroider patches from each bowl we go to," Smithers said. Each? "Each," he said. See what an 8-4 season will do for a program? See how it can change the view of the future? Before the season, some were talking about whether Memphis should drop football. Now they're already talking about a run of bowl games. And why not? The Tigers whipped Louisville and Ole Miss. They easily led the C-USA in attendance. They averaged 40,621 a game, the best ever. "It's been a great football year," said Memphis coach Tommy West. "I'm just sorry we ended it this way." You're forgiven, Coach. Even though it wasn't quite the ending anyone would have ordered. First, South Florida beat the Tigers, 21-16. That was a downer. Next, Conference USA Comissioner Britton Banowsky wouldn't let two representatives on hand from the New Orleans Bowl invite the Tigers to their party. That was just stupid. The bowl reps wanted to make a big show of it, see? That's why they flew up here. They'd announce it at halftime. Wild applause all around. Or free Hurricanes. Whichever. But Banowsky said no. Because TCU and Mobile's GMAC Bowl were still locked in a stalemate. The GMAC Bowl wants to invite TCU. TCU wants to decline the invitation and go to the Fort Worth Bowl. Banowsky lacked the spine to tell TCU to go to the GMAC Bowl - which has the contractual right to pick second - or be done for the season. So instead of giving the Memphis players a glorious moment in front of the home crowd, the conference gave us the sight of men in suits making phone calls, trying to untangle the fiasco. "This is not right," said one of the men, the Liberty Bowl's Steve Ehrhart. "I was there three weeks ago when TCU said they'd be proud to play in any of the bowls. If this is supposed to be about the players, how can we do this?" Nice question. If you can answer that one, explain the BCS, won't you? Or just relax and join the Memphis fans, partying in the parking lot. It was quite a scene, men and women who have waited three decades, savoring the moment. The sweet scent of triumph filled the air. Along with ribs, pork loin, venison, goose and . . . "Road kill," said John Stacy. Road kill? "I hit a deer about 10 days ago." he said. "I hit it in Marshall County, and it landed in DeSoto County." Tough bounce for the deer, eh? From one grill to another. But we digress. From the cheery mood of the day, despite seven Memphis turnovers. Santa Claus showed up. So did Elvis. Actually, there were a half dozen fans dressed as Elvis, who together spelled out Tigers. One wore a "T" on his back. The next wore an "I." And so forth and so on, right through the six of them. They'd turn around, one by one. The crowd would scream out the letters. It was the last game of the year, and the Memphis bandwagon was still gaining members. Which is why the ending almost didn't matter. And why this season will always be one to savor. Memphis is 8-4 and bound for a bowl. Mediocrity has left the building. Contact columnist Geoff Calkins at 529-2364; E-mail: calkins@commercialappeal.com. You can hear his radio show, "SportsTime with George Lapides and Geoff Calkins," from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday on WHBQ-AM (560).

11/30/03		Mistake-Filled Loss Is Not The End (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact November 30, 2003 It was turn-back-the-clock day at the Liberty Bowl, only the University of Memphis wasn't wearing throw-back jerseys. There was no need. For the finale of this season, the program's best in three decades, the Tigers' offense reverted to its 2002 form to give South Florida a 21-16 victory. The Tigers lost three fumbles, and junior quarterback Danny Wimprine threw four interceptions. And it could have been worse: South Florida had 12 pass deflections, which means a Bulls defender got at least a hand on 16 of Wimprine's 51 passes. Wimprine's struggles had something to do with the two jerseys not on the field for the Tigers, specifically Nos. 20 and 1 that belong to running back DeAngelo Williams and receiver Maurice Avery, both of whom were unavailable because of injured knees. Even Wimprine alluded to the absence of the team's most talented playmakers, and U of M coach Tommy West, in rejecting that explanation, actually lent it some credence. Without Williams and Avery, the primary offensive players put too much pressure on themselves to make plays, and the mistakes began cascading. In other words, Memphis looked a lot like the 3-9 team from 2002 and much less like the 2003 bunch that carried an 8-3 record into Saturday. "We looked like a year ago offensively," West said. "We're trying to do things I haven't seen in awhile." But it was not the end of the world, or, put another way, the end of the season. Silver lining No. 1: Under Joe Lee Dunn, the defense is so good now that the Tigers had a chance until the very end, extending the agony for the 47,000 fans who bundled up to give their team a proper sendoff. That the Tigers somehow lost a game in which they outgained their opponent, 458-192, speaks to both the potential and the exasperation fans saw in the offense on Saturday. Williams's backup, Darren Parquet, rushed for 164 yards but lost two fumbles. Wimprine threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns, but reverted to making the kinds of poor throws and poor decisions that it seemed he had eliminated. "It makes me feel like crap," Wimprine said. Silver lining No. 2: The Tigers get a chance to regroup and try to go out a winner in whichever bowl increasingly irrelevant Conference USA finds for them. "I am excited about having the opportunity to correct those mistakes," said Tigers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. As to the Tigers' bowl destination, nobody had a final answer. Ron Maestri, the representative on hand for the New Orleans Bowl, had hoped to stand at midfield and extend an official invitation to his Dec. 16 game. Instead, he was one of three representatives of bowls feverishly working his cell phone from the field, trying to figure out what was going to happen with TCU, the C-USA program that announced it did not want to go to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., because of conflicts with exams. It created a frustrating situation for the Tigers. "Yeah, I am (frustrated), to be honest," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "They knew when their finals were when they signed the contract. They ought to honor the contract." If the offense doesn't start playing better, the Tigers could be in trouble, no matter the destination. North Texas, C-USA's opponent in New Orleans, has the nation's No. 1 rusher in Patrick Cobbs, and Miami-Ohio, the opponent in Mobile, could be ranked in the Top 10 of the BCS if it wins Thursday's MAC championship game. "(Losing) is a horrible feeling, and we'd have to sit with it the rest of the fall and Christmas and all spring and summer," Fichtner said. "Now we can see why we made the mistakes and work to get it corrected." It has been such a remarkable season in Tigerland that not even a bowl-game loss or two-game losing streak to end the season would diminish the newfound enthusiasm for football. But if the Tigers want to enter 2004 with the credibility of a Top 25 team, they must perform well in whatever bowl comes their way, with or without Williams and Avery. "I don't want to put it on that, that's a crutch," West said. "I'm not looking for crutches. I'm looking for wins." Contact reporter Zack McMillin at 529-2564; E-mail: zmcmillin@commercialappeal.com

11/30/03		Balance Pays Off As Tigers Pound Govs (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 30, 2003 What a difference a year - not to mention a remarkably healthy and totally eligible team - makes. The University of Memphis dressed 10 players this time around. So if you're looking for a reason why the Tigers avenged last season's loss to Austin Peay with an 84-70 victory over the Govs Saturday night, it's best to start right there. "Yeah, yeah,'' said junior Anthony Rice, confirming the above with two identical sounds. ''We knew this game was going to be different than the last.'' And it was, especially given that the final moments of regulation were classified as garbage time and only relevant for the guys in Las Vegas with Austin Peay plus 11. By then, Rice had already poured in a team-high 16 points to go with his impressive seven rebounds from the shooting guard position. His backcourt mate, Antonio Burks, had already finished with 13 points and two assists while Rodney Carney and Sean Banks had each added 12 points to put four Tigers in double-figures. By the way, that number is only two less than the total amount of scholarship players the U of M (2-1) had available in last season's overtime loss to Austin Peay (1-2). And the balanced effort was a factor in Memphis holding a double-digit advantage for the final 11:20 of this meeting and sending the estimated crowd of 7,500 home from The Pyramid with a far different feeling. ''They're a good team, an NCAA Tournament team,'' said Burks, who battled foul trouble throughout and played an unusually low 23 minutes. ''They fought back in the first half and showed how good they were. But in the second half we put them away.'' Put them away despite Carney missing shots he normally makes. Put them away despite Banks struggling from the field. Put them away despite the two centers - Duane Erwin and Ivan Lopez - combining for just two buckets against a less-than-imposing frontcourt opposition. Which, in many ways, speaks volumes about these Tigers. Coming into this game, the U of M's top two scorers and arguably most vital performers were Carney and Burks. Against Austin Peay, neither was at his best with the former missing 12-of-17 shots and the latter just trying not to foul out. So what happened? Memphis turned to Rice, whose personal 7-0 run - which featured a four-point play - early in the second half gave the U of M a lead it never relinquished. He sank 3-of-5 three-pointers, all in the final 20 minutes, and gave credence to the theory that when a team has multiple above-average shooters it's rare all of them go cold on the same night. ''That's right,'' Rice said. ''And that's the key to this team. We don't have just one, main shooter. There's a lot of guys on this team who can shoot. So you can't just shut down one guy on this team and win.'' Though they didn't do much offensively, it would be wrong to think Erwin and Lopez weren't productive. Both finished with 10 rebounds. And if they approach that number in that category with any sort of consistency, coach John Calipari will have the post presence he desires and the U of M should have a team on its way back to the NCAA Tournament. ''If both of them can get 10 boards a game, it's going to be really tough to beat us,'' said sophomore Jeremy Hunt, who was solid in his season debut in collecting eight points, five rebounds and three assists. ''And if some of those are offensive rebounds, then they can just kick them out and we can shoot a three or drive and score. "And that can really hurt a team if we do that after they've already played good defense on us.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/30/03		Tigers Postgame (Austin Peay) (Commercial Appeal)
		Play of the game With just under 16:00 left, Anthony Rice got the ball on the left wing and drained a three. But the junior didn't see it fall through the net because he was lying on his back, having been fouled by Austin Peay's Maurice Hampton. Rice sank the ensuing free throw to give Memphis a 42-36 lead. After that, the Tigers never led by fewer than three points again. Stat of the game After struggling from the line during the first two games and being chastised by their coach in Friday's practice because of it, the Tigers showed drastic improvement on free throws against Austin Peay. Memphis hit its first 10 attempts Saturday night and finished 20-of-29 for the game. Freshman Sean Banks buried the most, hitting 8-of-11. In a related note, Rodney Carney didn't shoot any free throws despite taking a game-high 17 shots. Trends We probably won't know if it's for real until Arthur Johnson and Missouri visit The Pyramid in December. But Saturday marked the second consecutive game that Duane Erwin snagged double-digit rebounds. Against Fordham on Nov. 22, the junior from Huntsville, Ala., had 18 boards. He backed that with 10 against Austin Peay, with all 10 coming in the first half. X's and O's Despite working on a zone defense all week for at least a few minutes each practice, the Tigers stuck predominantly to a man-to-man approach against Austin Peay. ''When you're playing a team that's going to shoot threes like this team, you don't want to play zone,'' coach John Calipari explained. Odds and ends Anybody who knows anything about Calipari knows how much he loves a player to dive on the floor for a loose ball. Which is exactly what Antonio Burks did with barely eight minutes into the game. Only problem was he got whistled for a foul, his second of the contest, and had to sit down. ''I shouldn't have dove for that ball,'' Burks said. ''But then they would've said I wasn't hustling. So either way, I can't win. But I still have to take the yelling.'' After starting against Fordham, Modibo Diarra did not play against Austin Peay. Neither did fellow Mali native Almamy Thiero, which shows just how active Erwin and Ivan Lopez were. ''I thought Duane Erwin and Ivan Lopez played well,'' Calipari said. ''I thought Ivan did some good things, which is what we wanted to see. Ivan probably has more ability to score around the basket than (Erwin) does, but (Erwin) is very active and went after a lot of balls today. That is all he has to do for us.'' What's next Memphis plays the third game of a three-game homestand Wednesday night against UT-Martin at The Pyramid. The Skyhawks are led by former Hamilton High standout Justin Williams. - By Gary Parrish

11/30/03		Tigers Persevere Despite A Lack Of Consistency (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 30, 2003 The Tigers were ahead by 16 points midway through the second half. Austin Peay had called timeout and University of Memphis student Nick Johnson, from his seat behind the Tigers bench, was doing what students do: Having a little fun with an official. "Welmer!" Johnson shouted to veteran official Steve Welmer, "you owe me one call!" Being a good guy, the zebra played along: "Tonight or later?" "I'll take it later," Johnson said. At which point Welmer pointed toward his head, as if to tell the fan, "Smart, save it for a close game." Saturday night's game at The Pyramid, of course, wasn't a close game. The Tigers won 74-60, and had they been able to sustain their concentration and had the discipline to pass on some quick jump shots, they could have won by 25. Not that winning by 25 is everything. After all, not even the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee is as smitten with numbers, computers and margin of victory as the La La Land that is college football. Then again, why not win by 25 if you can win by 25? The Tigers went on a 19-2 run early in the game, yet the score was tied, 32-32, at halftime. They stretched the lead to 22 with less than seven minutes to play, yet it was down to 10 with under three minues to play. "That's just something we have to work on - being consistent," said Tigers guard Anthony Rice. Which explains why the first thing coach John Calipari said afterward was that he was amazed at the way his team was able to "burst out and play . . . and then just let it go." It was as though after each big run the Tigers couldn't take their foot off the accelerator and control the game at a slower pace. They just kept flying up and down the court. "They think you continue to shoot quick shots," said Calipari, who calmly singled out Rodney Carney (5-of-17) and Sean Banks (2-of-10) for being fast on the draw on a night when the team shot just 37.1 percent. "So you make a couple. You can't keep just going to the well like that." No, if you're going to keep going to the well, every coach in the world - and especially this one - will tell you to go to a different well: to the rebounding well, to the hustle well. That's the well that never runs dry; that's the ultimate point-giving well. And there were certainly some examples of that Saturday with Banks and Duane Erwin each grabbing 10 rebounds and Ivan Lopez, the 6-8 freshman from Puerto Rico, debuting with seven points and seven rebounds (five offensive boards). "I'm just doing my work," Lopez said. "Every time, I run to the basket. I need to get better on offensive rebounds, too." Perhaps the best news from this game is that you get the feeling Lopez will get better. He's more athletic than Erwin and seems to have a little longer mean streak. "He made a presence in the post," said Rice. "And Red (Erwin) also did a good job rebounding." In fact, all the Tigers did a good job rebounding from the late first-half lapse that sent them into the locker room with the score tied, which was an unsettling development given the one-point win Austin Peay snuck out of here last year against a Tigers split squad. So, had this game gone the way of that game and gotten close at the end, well, Tiger fan Nick Johnson would have had to reconsider. He would have had to tell the official that he'd take that call - wink, wink - sooner rather than later. Contact reporter Don Wade at 529-2358; E-mail: waded@commercialappeal.com

11/30/03		Lady Tigers Jump First Hurdle With Classic Title (Commercial Appeal)
		By Todd Vinyard Contact November 30, 2003 Before the season the Memphis Lady Tigers wrote down a goal of winning the program's 12th straight Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. It wasn't easy. They trailed by 11 at halftime, but the Lady Tigers made that goal of another Thanksgiving Classic title come true after a 69-63 victory over Ole Miss Saturday night in front of 903 fans at Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Nebraska won the consolation game, 78-75, over Eastern Kentucky in the first game. "That is the first goal we wrote down for this year," said Memphis coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "I told them in the locker room this is about passion. It is about writing that goal down and believing you can do it. In the first half everything was going against us. I'm really proud of how we rallied and played with focus in the second half to win." Tamika Butler had 21 points, including five 3-pointers in the second half, and Jennifer Sullivan added 19 points to keep the Lady Tigers (4-0) unbeaten on the season. Ole Miss (3-2) was unable to win its fourth straight. "In the final minutes we just made too many mistakes and you can't do that against Memphis," Lady Rebel coach Carol Ross said. "We didn't play smart in the end and our lack of rebounding really hurt us. We'll have to get better." Ole Miss built a 33-22 halftime lead thanks to tough defensive play in a half that saw both teams struggle shooting. The Lady Rebels shot 34 percent from the field on 11-of-32, while the Lady Tigers were 29 percent on 9-of-31. The Lady Rebels had nine steals in the first half and had 17 points off turnovers. But the Lady Tigers turned the tide with an 18-0 run to open the second half, building a 40-33 advantage with 15:18 left. "We hit a couple of buckets and got on a roll," Lee-McNelis said. "Once we got going offensively then our defense created our transition baskets." Jennifer Soso hit two 3-pointers and Sullivan scored eight points during the run. Sullivan earned Most Valuable Player honors on the all-tournament team along with Butler. Other all-tournament members were: Kaite Kelly of Eastern Kentucky, Margaret Richards of Nebraska, and Armintie Price of Ole Miss, who led the Lady Rebels with 22 points and 15 rebounds against the U of M. The next goal for the Lady Tigers is to keep rolling when they travel to Austin Peay for a game Wednesday at 7 p.m. "Last year we were 4-0," Lee-McNelis said. "Every year a team that has played in this tournament championship game has been in the NCAA. Last year we beat Michigan State here and then we lost four of our next five. We've got to make a commitment to go further."

11/30/03		Tiger Recruit Wows Future Fans -- Style Brings Win And Grins (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jim Masilak Contact November 30, 2003 Darius Washington didn't need long to develop a rapport with his future fans. The Orlando Edgewater senior and University of Memphis basketball signee was in town Saturday afternoon for the Turkey Day Classic at The Pyramid. Washington, a 6-0 guard regarded as one of the nation's top 20 players, scored 27 points and handed out eight assists in Edgewater's 75-56 victory over Hamilton. In the second game, sophomore Thaddeus Young scored 28 points as Mitchell slowed things down in a 53-49 win over Lithonia (Ga.). But it was Washington's effusive on-court style, not to mention the dialogue he kept up with some of the 300 or so fans, which stole the show. His exaltations after each assist, and his bemused smile after being assessed a technical foul, provided a glimpse of what the U of M can look forward to next season. "What time is it? What time is it?" Washington inquired of some spectators after hitting two straight 3-pointers. "I'll tell you what time it is. It's 2:30," retorted one fan. "I'd say it's time for you to show us something," replied another. Washington, wearing "D 35 W" wristbands - for his initials and uniform number - was teased when he was sent to the bench because his jersey wasn't tucked in, and again when he missed a dunk. "It was very exciting playing here. The fans got a little taste of next year," Washington said. "There were some people telling me I wasn't any good, but some were giving me my props. They wanted to see their team win, and I respect that. . . . It was good-natured stuff and we all had fun with it." U of M coach John Calipari was suitably impressed after watching Washington spark a 26-5 second-half run by Edgewater that blew open what had been a close game. Edgewater (1-0) is ranked No. 1 in the National Prep Poll. "I love his demeanor on the court," Calipari said. "We're looking for that right now. I tell my guys, 'The emotion, enthusiasm and passion you play with is your responsibility, not mine.' He plays like that." Washington showed poise against Hamilton's tight box-and-one defense, looking to pass first. His five first-half points came on free throws. "In the ninth grade I would have gone crazy," Washington said. "Now I've learned to be patient." Joseph Watkins scored 18 points for Hamilton (2-3 and ranked No. 4 in The Dandy Dozen). But the Wildcats, who led by one late in the third, were just 18-of-32 from the free-throw line. "I think we gave up. I think we laid down," coach Ted Anderson said. Equaling Washington's all-around performance was Mitchell's Young, a 6-8 sophomore at ease both shooting threes and slamming home rebounds. When Young picked up his fourth foul early in the fourth quarter, No. 10 Mitchell (3-2) sat on the ball for three minutes, and then again for two minutes after he fouled out. "That was a blast from the past," Tigers coach Jerry Johnson said. "People don't believe in doing that, but I had to do it because of foul trouble." The event was originally billed as a showcase for three top-100 U of M signees. But Hamilton star Shawne Williams, who's being held out for academic reasons, watched from the bench. And Lithonia's Robert Dozier, who scored 10 points in the loss to Mitchell, decided not to sign during the early signing period. "I was nervous at first about coming here. I ain't gonna lie," Dozier said. "But once I stepped on the court I relaxed." Dozier, a 6-8 wing, said he still might sign with the U of M but wants to visit Georgia and Cincinnati. Arizona also has gotten into the picture, Lithonia coach Lewis Jones said. "My gut feeling was just to wait," Dozier said. - Jim Masilak: 529-2311

11/29/03		Memphis Tops Austin Peay, 74-60 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Anthony Rice scored 16 points, including 12 in the second half Saturday night, in leading Memphis to a 74-60 victory over Austin Peay. Rice was one of four Tigers in double figures as Memphis dominated the game after a late first-half run by the Governors tied the contest at the break. Memphis (2-1) built the lead to 22 points with just under seven minutes to play and never was really threatened down the stretch. The Governors (1-2) made a small run with 12 straight points but could never get the margin under double digits. Memphis maintained at least a 10-point lead for the final 11:20. Rice connected on 6 of his 10 shots from the floor, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Antonio Burks added 13 points, including seven straight midway through the second half. Rodney Carney and Sean Banks scored 12 points each for the Tigers, and Banks grabbed 10 rebounds, matching Duane Erwin's 10 boards for team honors. Adrian Henning led the Governors with 18 points, while Josh Lewis finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Austin Peay closed the half with a 19-3 run to tie the game 32-32 at the break. Henning had 10 points in the half for Austin Peay, but it was long-range shots from Corey Gipson, Maurice Hampton and Fernandez Lockett in the final minutes that brought Austin Peay back even. Memphis had a 19-2 run, including 14 straight, early in the game as Austin Peay went more than seven minutes without scoring. The Tigers eventually built the lead to 29-13 before Austin Peay made its run. Banks had 9 points, but Erwin had 10 of Memphis' 21 first-half rebounds. The teams exchanged leads early in the second half until a 13-0 run put the Tigers up 58-42. Neither team shot well -- Memphis hitting 37 percent and Austin Peay shooting 38 percent. Both were 8-of-22 from long range.

11/29/03		Lady Tigers Capture 12th Straight Classic Title With Win Over Ole Miss (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team captured its 12th-consecutive Lady Tiger Basketball Classic championship with a 69-63 comeback victory over Ole Miss Saturday at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Sophomore Tamika Butler had 16 of her team-high 21 points in the second half as the Lady Tigers erased an 11-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Rebels 47-30 after intermission. Butler hit five of her career-high six three-pointers in the second half as Memphis nailed 8-of-13 attempts after going just 1-for-11 in the opening 20 minutes from behind the arc. Tournament MVP Jennifer Sullivan had seven points during an 18-0 Lady Tiger run to start the second half that put Memphis ahead for the first time in the contest. With Memphis leading 40-33, the Rebels answered with a 16-4 run to reclaim the lead at 49-44 despite hitting just one field goal in the opening 10:26 of the second half. The teams' traded mini-runs before Memphis finally pulled away as Butler caught fire from behind the three-point line nailing a trio of three pointers during an 11-2 run that gave the Lady Tigers' a 63-59 lead with 1:45 remaining. After making their first 12 free throw attempts in the second half, the Rebels missed four of eight from the stripe in the final 1:30. Memphis held Ole Miss to just 23.3 percent shooting from the floor in the second half and to 29 percent for the game. Guard Armentie Price did her best to keep the Rebels in the game as she went 6-for-12 from the floor and made all 10 of her free throw attempts to finish with a game-high 22 points. Price was named to the all-tournament team for her efforts. Memphis overcame field goal droughts of 7:08, 6:09 and 3:46 to secure its fourth-straight win to open the season. Also joining Butler, Sullivan and Price on the all-tournament team were Eastern Kentucky's Katie Kelly and Nebraska's Margaret Richards. The Huskers defeated EKU, 78-75, in the consolation game to claim third place. The Lady Tigers return to action Wednesday when they travel to Clarksville, Tenn., to take on Austin Peay. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

11/29/03		Tigers Fall To South Florida, 21-16 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)- J.R. Reed scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and a 45-yard fumble recovery in the third quarter Saturday as South Florida capitalized on Memphis turnovers to defeat the bowl-bound Tigers 21-16. Reed's touchdowns erased a 7-0 Memphis halftime lead as the Tigers self-destructed with seven turnovers. In addition to the two touchdowns, Reed had three interceptions, a South Florida record for a single game. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Memphis (8-4, 5-3 Conference USA), which is still expected to receive its first bowl invitation since the 1971 Pasadena Bowl. The Bulls (6-5, 4-4) got very little going offensively with only 192 yards, including a mere 25 rushing. But Reed's defense and returns fueled South Florida's second half rally. Reed's three interceptions also tied a C-USA record. South Florida's only offensive touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter when DeJuan Green scored from 4 yards out. The drive was set up by Reed's interception return to the Tiger 14. The touchdown gave the Bulls a 21-10 lead. A 9-yard TD pass from Danny Wimprine to Ryan Scott with 4:27 to play was as close as Memphis could get. Wimprine would end the day with two touchdown passes, but also four interceptions. The Tigers lost three fumbles. Memphis played without leading rusher DeAngelo Williams, the nation's leader in all-purpose yards, who injured his left knee a week ago. The Tigers also were without leading receiver Maurice Avery, also out with a knee injury. The mistakes that plagued Memphis throughout the day kept the Tigers from having a bigger advantage at halftime. The Tigers crossed midfield on five series in the first two quarters, but managed only a 36-yard scoring pass from Wimprine to Darron White in the first quarter. Otherwise, Memphis suffered from interceptions, a pair of fumbles, including one at the South Florida 12, and a missed 46-yard field goal. Reed's 96-yard touchdown run to open the second half evened the game at 7-7. His fumble recovery would come with just over eight minutes left in the third.

11/29/03		Bowl-Bound Tigers Fall To S. Florida (Commercial Appeal)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - J.R. Reed scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and a 45-yard fumble recovery in the third quarter Saturday as South Florida capitalized on Memphis turnovers to defeat the bowl-bound Tigers 21-16. Reed's touchdowns erased a 7-0 Memphis halftime lead as the Tigers self-destructed with seven turnovers. In addition to the two touchdowns, Reed had three interceptions, a South Florida record for a single game. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Memphis (8-4, 5-3 Conference USA), which is still expected to receive its first bowl invitation since the 1971 Pasadena Bowl. The Bulls (6-5, 4-4) got very little going offensively with only 192 yards, including a mere 25 rushing. But Reed's defense and returns fueled South Florida's second half rally. Reed's three interceptions also tied a C-USA record. South Florida's only offensive touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter when DeJuan Green scored from 4 yards out. The drive was set up by Reed's interception return to the Tiger 14. The touchdown gave the Bulls a 21-10 lead. A 9-yard TD pass from Danny Wimprine to Ryan Scott with 4:27 to play was as close as Memphis could get. Wimprine would end the day with two touchdown passes, but also four interceptions. The Tigers lost three fumbles. Memphis played without leading rusher DeAngelo Williams, the nation's leader in all-purpose yards, who injured his left knee a week ago. The Tigers also were without leading receiver Maurice Avery, also out with a knee injury. The mistakes that plagued Memphis throughout the day kept the Tigers from having a bigger advantage at halftime. The Tigers crossed midfield on five series in the first two quarters, but managed only a 36-yard scoring pass from Wimprine to Darron White in the first quarter. Otherwise, Memphis suffered from interceptions, a pair of fumbles, including one at the South Florida 12, and a missed 46-yard field goal. Reed's 96-yard touchdown run to open the second half evened the game at 7-7. His fumble recovery would come with just over eight minutes left in the third.

11/29/03		Tigers' Streak Fuels Fan Excitement (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 29, 2003 The GMAC Bowl or the New Orleans Bowl? For a football team that hasn't gone to the postseason since 1971, the University of Memphis isn't going to be choosy. The Tigers complete their most successful season in 30 years today at 1 p.m. against South Florida at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Then they'll wait for their invitation, one some long-suffering Tiger fans thought would never come. The Tigers (8-3 overall, 5-2 in Conference USA) have made themselves attractive to the C-USA-affiliated bowls for several reasons, among them the breakout season, a creative, high-scoring offense and a fan following that ranks first in the league. U of M officials are expecting a crowd that should surpass 45,000 and could approach 50,000. If the Liberty Bowl crowd surpasses 45,489, the Tigers will set a single-season attendance mark, breaking the record of 281,966 set in 1976. They'll also set a record for highest single-season average, topping the 40,280 mark that has stood for 27 years. Memphis has only averaged 40,000 or more in a season once. Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson has often said that if the football program ever became successful, 40,000 home crowds would be routine. And while it appears his prophecy has come to fruition, Johnson tempers this initial rush to the box office. "In all fairness, we've had huge numbers of discounted tickets," Johnson said. "I'd like to say it was 42,000 full-paid tickets in there (last weekend against Cincinnati), but it wasn't. We've had all sorts of promotions and we'll have (10,000 today) for FedEx Appreciation Day. "But I think this has been good because people here are excited about watching this team." Their excitement has been fueled by a spread offense that's averaging 32 points and 453 yards, and a Joe Lee Dunn-directed defense that has gotten stronger and more entertaining as the season has unfolded. Quarterback Danny Wimprine has thrown 19 touchdown passes against nine interceptions and is averaging 241 yards passing. His top two playmakers - running back DeAngelo Williams and receiver Maurice Avery - won't play today because of a torn knee ligaments suffered the past two weeks. Williams and Avery have combined for 24 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 all-purpose yards. Defensively, the Tigers have held their past three opponents to fewer than 60 rushing yards, in addition to coming up with one big play after another. The Tigers returned interceptions for touchdowns against Houston, Tulane and Louisville, and used defensive back Wesley Smith's 36-yard interception return against Cincinnati to set up a late, game-winning touchdown. The offensive/defensive combination has the Tigers on a roll. Memphis enters the game against South Florida (6-4, 4-3) on a five-game win streak. The reward for the players has been an energy and noise level at the Liberty Bowl that they haven't experienced. Entering this fall, the Tigers hadn't had a winning season in eight years. "We knew it would be like this once we starting winning," said senior linebacker Coot Terry, who will be playing his final home game. "We just got it done. It's a great thing for the university to see a lot of people coming out . . . student-wise and around the city. "It's known as a basketball city, but (last) Saturday was amazing to see 42,000 people in the stands. And they weren't just sitting there. They were screaming and getting into the game." Ranked first in C-USA in total defense (301.4 yards allowed per game), South Florida will offer a defensive challenge, one that could be stronger without Williams and Avery in the Memphis lineup. But the momentum the Tigers have generated, and the raucous crowd they could attract, may be the trump cards. "We are the group that came in and turned it around. We've been here for four years struggling, trying to make a change, and we finally did it. And the crowds have been fantastic. They have supported us more than ever," said senior receiver Darren Garcia, a Millington High product. Defensive lineman Eric Taylor said one of the most rewarding aspects of the rising attendance figures has been the content of the crowd. "It used to be that against Ole Miss or Tennessee we'd get the kind of crowd we got last weekend," he said. "We haven't had 42,000 for a conference game in a long, long time. I think if this program continues to win, fans from Memphis might show up not because it's a big game against an SEC school, but because Memphis is playing."

11/29/03		APSU's Returnees Face Stouter Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 29, 2003 As likeable a guy as Nathaniel Root was, it was never a good sign when he was on the court in a close game. Even worse, when he was on the court in a close game late. Even worse than that, when he was on the court in a close game late shooting a three to determine whether the University of Memphis won or lost. But that was the scenario last season when Austin Peay visited Memphis. And though Govs coach Dave Loos still counts the upset as one of his most memorable victories - it came against his alma mater, you know? - he isn't so silly as to overlook the unusual circumstances that contributed to it. ''Last year's game was all about timing,'' Loos acknowledged. ''I understand that.'' Tonight at 7 Austin Peay (1-1) and Memphis (1-1) will meet again at The Pyramid. That the Tigers will have more than six scholarship players available means they'll be in better shape than last November. Antonio Burks. Jeremy Hunt. Chris Massie. Billy Richmond. Almamy Thiero. That's a list of five recruited athletes who played some for the Tigers last season but weren't even in uniform against Austin Peay for one reason or another. Consequently, Root started at the point and played 26 ridiculous minutes, Earl Barron got 26 ridiculous shots and Patrick Byrne - a football player who barely plays - made an appearance and threw a ridiculous inbounds pass at the end of regulation. Forty-five basketball minutes after tip-off, Austin Peay left with an 81-80 victory. It marked the first time the Govs had won on the U of M's court in a series that dates to 1937 and erased any joy still lingering from the Tigers' season-opening victory over Carmelo Anthony and Syracuse. ''We were under-manned, and we didn't play the way we were supposed to play,'' said Memphis sophomore Rodney Carney. ''We didn't have any intensity or any anything. We were shorthanded, and we didn't show up.'' That's a pretty accurate assessment. But tonight should be different as the Tigers dress a team full of contributors and leave the shirts and ties to the coaching staff. Hunt, a sophomore combo guard from Craigmont High, is back after preseason foot surgery that's kept him sidelined for a couple of months. He'll be joined in uniform by Ivan Lopez, a native of Puerto Rico who has finished a two-game NCAA suspension levied because of his participation in an unsanctioned summer league. That means the Tigers will dress a season-high 10 players. And though there is no debating Hunt is the more dynamic of the first-timers, Lopez may have the bigger impact because whereas the Tigers are loaded with guards, post players with an aggressive style come at a premium with this team. Therefore, Lopez - a freshman who in Friday's practice showed no ill effects of a bad hamstring - and his relentless attitude will likely get plenty of minutes in relief of Duane Erwin, who is coming off an 18-rebound effort against Fordham a week ago. ''I'm gonna do my job,'' Lopez said matter-of-factly. ''My hamstring is like 90, 95 percent. So now I'm ready to go and excited about my first game.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/29/03		Preview: Tigers vs. Austin Peay (Commercial Appeal)
		TV, radio: WLMT-TV (30), 7 p.m.; WMC-AM (790), pregame 5:30 p.m. When, where: Today, 7 p.m., at The Pyramid. Records: Memphis 1-1; Austin Peay 1-1 Series standing: Memphis leads, 11-4. Latest line: Memphis by 12. Notables: Before last season's home loss, the Tigers had won three straight in the series against Austin Peay by an average of 22.7 points. . . . Tonight is the third of four games Austin Peay will play in a span of eight days to open the season. It began last Monday with a win over Knoxville College and will end this Monday with a game against Evansville. . . . Through two games the Tigers are averaging 11.5 made 3-pointers per contest. At that pace, Memphis will make more than 300 threes this season, which would shatter the school record of 210 that was set last year. . . . If Austin Peay loses, it will drop to below .500 for the first time since the end of the 2001-2002 season. . . . The Tigers have an all-time record of 91-61 against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They played two OVC schools last season - Austin Peay and Murray State - and went 1-1 in those contests. . . . Austin Peay returns all five starters and its top eight players from last season's team that went 23-8 and played Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Govs began the season with a blowout win over Knoxville College. They backed that with a disappointing loss to Belmont two days later. . . . With 281 career wins, Austin Peay's Dave Loos, who played at Memphis, ranks 49th among active Division 1 coaches. . . . Ridgeway High graduate Adrian Henning and Josh Lewis are two Austin Peay standouts selected preseason All-OVC. . . . This should be a challenging month for the Govs. After playing at Memphis, they travel to Alabama (Dec. 6), Louisville (Dec. 20) and Kentucky (Dec. 31). TEAM COMPARISONS U of M APSU FG percentage .418 .504 Opp. Percentage .372 .369 FT percentage .537 .759 3-point percentage .418 .342 Opp. Percentage .383 .310 Rebounds 53.0 37.0 Opp. Rebounds 38.0 28.5 Points for 85.0 77.5 Points against 74.5 51.5 PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis P Yr. Ht. Pts. Antonio Burks G Sr. 6-0 16.5 Anthony Rice G Jr. 6-4 14.0 Rodney Carney F So. 6-7 21.0 Sean Banks F Fr. 6-8 12.5 Duane Erwin C Jr. 6-9 7.0 Austin Peay P Yr. Ht. Pts. Corey Gipson G Sr. 6-1 10.0 Anthony Davis G Jr. 6-2 14.0 Rhet Wierzba G Sr. 6-5 4.5 Adrian Henning F Sr. 6-6 10.0 Josh Lewis C Sr. 6-8 12.0

11/29/03		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (Austin Peay) (Commercial Appeal)
		Can Red do it again: Against Fordham a week ago, Duane 'Red' Erwin played the best game of his career, snatching 18 rebounds in a Tiger win. As long as Erwin approaches that kind of effort, Memphis will be tough to beat. Meanwhile, having another dominant game in the paint tonight will go a long way in creating confidence for Erwin as the Tigers prepare for a trip to Ole Miss next week. Force turnovers: In a loss to Belmont earlier this week, Austin Peay wasn't good with the ball, turning it over 17 times, with Adrian Henning responsible for eight. Therefore, it stands to reason that the U of M's press could give the Govs problems. If the Tigers can force 15-20 turnovers and turn them into easy transition baskets, they should improve to 2-1 this season. Take advantage of mid-major size: For the second straight game Memphis is playing a team that is less than imposing in the paint. At this point, that's the best recipe for success for the Tigers, which means Erwin, Ivan Lopez, Modibo Diarra and Almamy Thiero need to create some sort of post presence to ensure Memphis doesn't have to rely strictly on jumpers. Any of those guys reaching 10 rebounds will likely guarantee victory. - By Gary Parrish

11/29/03		Lady Tigers Rev It Up Over EKU (Commercial Appeal)
		By Todd Vinyard Contact November 29, 2003 Three games into the season it is clear the Memphis Lady Tigers are very comfortable when running. "We like to get out and run, and we are usually really successful when we do that," said junior Jennifer Sullivan. "We got out on the break tonight and it really made it possible for me to have some nice opportunities." Sullivan took advantage with 20 points to lead all scorers in the Lady Tigers' 78-65 win over Eastern Kentucky Friday in the first round of the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. The Memphis (3-0) win over Eastern Kentucky (1-2) sends the Lady Tigers into the second round to face Ole Miss (3-1), who won 69-66 over Nebraska (2-1), following the consolation game at 5 p.m. today. The Lady Tigers led throughout the game against EKU, including a 45-23 advantage at halftime. After shooting 47.5 percent in the first half, they cooled a bit in the second to finish at 41.7 percent, as EKU, which was picked to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference, made a run before 802 fans at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. "This was a good win for us," said Lady Tiger coach Joye-Lee McNelis. "This is a team that won 18 games last year, so we did a good job." Sullivan had her second career-high scoring night in the past two U of M games. Her 17 points early in the week at Tennessee Tech was bested by the 20 on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line against Eastern Kentucky. McNelis was pleased with Sullivan's effort and the defense the Lady Tigers showed early. EKU was held to 9-of-31 shooting in the first half, but was able to heat up in the second half to close the gap. The Lady Colonels cut the Lady Tiger lead to nine points when Ashleigh Huffman drilled a 3-pointer with 1:30 left. U of M's Jordie Soso hit two free throws to push the advantage to 76-65 at 1:11. Sullivan finished things with two free throws with 17 seconds to go. "They jumped on us early," EKU coach Larry Joe Inman said. "Their break hurt us in the first half, and we were able to slow them down some in the second half and make it closer. (Memphis) has a good team that is very balanced." After Sullivan, Tamika Butler had 14 points for the Lady Tigers, and Raven Rogers added 12. Nine of the 10 U of M players who saw action in the game scored. And for the first time since the 2000-01 season, Memphis had six or more players total five or more rebounds. Soso, Princess Swilley, Victoria Crawford and Rogers all totaled six boards apiece, and Megan Gooch had five. McNelis was pleased the Lady Tigers were able to outrebound EKU (51-34). She wasn't quite as pleased with the 18 U of M turnovers.

11/28/03		Lady Tigers Looking For 12th Tourney Championship (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team is in position to win their 12th straight Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic after advancing to the championship round with a 78-65 win over Eastern Kentucky at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse Friday evening. The Lady Tigers, which improved to 3-0 with the victory, will play Ole Miss in the title game on Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern Kentucky will face Nebraska in the consolation game to be played at 5 p.m. "This was a very good win for us," said coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "I was concerned early on about playing Eastern Kentucky in the first round because I knew they were a very seasoned group and finished last season with an 18-11 record. "Our biggest concern was their point guard Laura Shelton, and I thought Princess (Swilley) did a phenomenal defensive job on her. She (Shelton) is a very good player. "I don't think we focused this much on a single player since we played Houston and tried to hold Chandi Jones, who was the league's Player of the Year, below her scoring average," added McNelis. Junior Jennifer Sullivan recorded her second straight career-high scoring effort with 20 points against EKU. Sullivan tallied a new career high of 17 points in Monday's win over Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tenn. Against EKU, Sullivan was 8-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from the charity stripe. She also hauled in a team-high seven rebounds, and totaled an assist and a blocked shot. Sullivan is the second Lady Tiger already this season to hit the 20-point mark, as junior Victoria Crawford totaled 23 points in the season opener against Maryland-Eastern Shore. "Everybody played a huge part in this win," said McNelis. "We had solid balance in scoring. The biggest plus was Jennifer (Sullivan) who scored 20 points and had seven rebounds. That is huge for her. You also have to look at Princess who had nine assists and only one turnover. Nine assists is 20 points. When you look at 20 points, and the eight she scored, she played a part in 28 of our points. That is a huge plus for us." Sophomore Tamika Butler and junior Raven Rogers also scored in double digits with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Butler, who set a new career high earlier in the week against TTU with five treys, was held in check from behind the arc with just one three pointer. Senior Princess Swilley led the offense with a career-high nine assists. Her previous career high was six, which she totaled once as a junior and once as a sophomore. For the second time this season, five or more Lady Tigers hauled in five or more rebounds as Memphis outrebounded the Lady Colonels, 51-34. Seniors Jordie Soso and Princess Swilley, Crawford, and Rogers all totaled six boards apiece, while freshman Megan Gooch posted five boards. This was the first time since the 2000-01 season that Memphis had six or more players total five or more rebounds a game. That last opponent was Eastern Kentucky in the first game of the Rice Tournament. In that game, eight Lady Tigers managed five or more rebounds as Memphis outrebounded the Lady Colonels, 62-35. The Lady Tigers took to the locker room with a 45-23 lead after holding EKU to just 29 percent shooting (9-of-31) from the field. The 22-point cushion was just enough to help the Lady Tigers remain unbeaten this year, as EKU shot 55.6 percent (15-of-27) in the second half to outscore the Lady Tigers, 42-33. The Lady Colonels opened the second half with an 8-0 run as Memphis missed their first seven shots of the half in a drought that lasted just under five minutes. Memphis managed to force EKU to turn the ball over 25 times in the game, scoring 23 points off the turnovers. Memphis finished the game with 41.7 percent (30-of-72) from the field, and struggled from the line, hitting just half of their 28 charity shots. Katie Kelly led EKU in scoring with 14 points off a 4-of-10 effort from the field and a 5-of-7 effort from the line. Kelly, who also led her squad with three steals, was the only Lady Colonel to score in double digits. Laura Shelton, who came into the game with a 14.0 points per game average, was held to just four points. Kelly and Pam Garrett led EKU with five boards apiece.

11/28/03		Memphis Basketball Game Notes (Austin Peay) (GoTigersGo.com)
		GAMEDAY INFORMATION MATCH-UP - Austin Peay (1-1, 0-0 OVC) vs. Memphis (1-1, 0-0 C-USA) TIPOFF - 7:00 pm (CT), Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003 SITE - The Pyramid (20,004), Memphis, Tenn. RADIO INFORMATION - WMC-AM 790 will broadcast the game with Dave Woloshin (play-by-play) and Matt Dillon (analyst) calling the action. The radio broadcast can also be heard on the World Wide Web at the U of M athletics site, www.goTIGERSgo.com TELEVISION - WLMT/UPN 30 will televise Saturday's game with Greg Gaston (play-by-play) and Jon Albright (analyst) calling the action. This is the ninth-straight year WLMT has televised Memphis Tiger basketball. THE SERIES - Saturday's contest will mark the 15th meeting between Memphis and Austin Peay. Memphis leads the all-time series 11-4. WHAT'S NEXT - Memphis wraps up its three-game homestand Wednesday, Dec. 3 against Tennessee-Martin at The Pyramid. Game time is 7:00 p.m. (CT). TIGER TIPOFF The Memphis Tiger basketball team continues its three-game homestand Saturday against Austin Peay at The Pyramid. The U of M bounced back after its season-opening setback to 20/No. 21 Wake Forest with a 94-64 win over Fordham in the Tigers' home opener Nov. 22. The Governors come into Saturday's game with a 1-1 record after dropping a narrow 68-65 decision at Belmont Nov. 26. Austin Peay won its season opener Nov. 24 with a 90-35 victory over Knoxville College. SCOUTING THE GOVERNORS Austin Peay brings a 1-1 record into Saturday's game after a narrow 68-65 loss at Belmont Nov. 26. Josh Lewis and Anthony Davis led the Governors with 13 points apiece in the setback. Austin Peay opened 2003-04 with a 90-35 win over Knoxville College. Davis, a 2003 All-OVC third team pick, led five players in double figures with 15 points in the Governors' win. Corey Gipson, who had 19 points in Austin Peay's victory over Memphis a year ago, added 11 points in the season opener. (See team stats comparison on next page) Austin Peay returns all five starters and 10 letterwinners from last year's squad that posted a 23-8 overall record and a 13-3 Ohio Valley Conference mark. Last year, Austin Peay tied for the OVC regular-season crown and won the league's postseason tournament to earn an automatic berth in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. The Governors fell to Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Dave Loos, a 1969 U of M graduate, returns where he began his coaching career. Loos served as a graduate assistant for the Tigers in 1970 and later came back as a full-time assistant from 1986-90. He is in his 14th season as head coach at Austin Peay and has a 199-182 record at the school. PROBABLES/TOP RESERVES* MEMPHIS ppg rpg AUSTIN PEAY ppg rpg F - Rodney Carney 21.0 6.5 F - Adrian Henning 10.0 6.5 F - Sean Banks 12.5 11.5 C - John Lewis 12.0 7.0 F - Modibo Diarra 1.0 6.0 G - Corey Gipson 10.0 4.5 G - Antonio Burks 16.5 ^9.5 G - Anthony Davis 14.0 5.0 G - Anthony Rice 14.0 4.0 G - Rhet Wierzba 4.5 1.5 R - Billy Richmond 12.5 3.5 R - Zac Schlader 7.0 3.0 R - Duane Erwin 7.0 10.5 R - Levi Carmichael 4.0 1.5 R - Almamy Thiero 0.5 1.5 R - Maurice Hampton 9.0 2.0 * probables are based on previous game ^ apg MEMPHIS-AUSTIN PEAY SERIES The two teams have met 15 previous times on the hardwood, with the Tigers holding an 11-4 lead in the series. Ten of the 15 encounters came between the 1947-48 season and the 1951-52 campaign. Memphis is 9-1 versus the Governors at home. That lone setback came last season when Austin Peay took a narrow 81-80 overtime victory in The Pyramid (see page 6 for last year's recap). Prior to last year's loss, the Tigers had won three straight and eight of the last nine over Austin Peay. All four Memphis losses in the series have been by seven points or less, including two overtime setbacks in 1951-52 (62-60 loss) and 2002-03 (81-80 loss). TIGERS VERSUS THE OHIO VALLEY Memphis has an all-time record of 91-61 against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Tigers have played Austin Peay (11-4), Eastern Kentucky (3-0), Morehead State (0-2), Murray State (34-26), Southeast Missouri State (1-2), Tennessee-Martin (9-3), Tennessee State (7-0) and Tennessee Tech (26-24). Last year, Memphis played Austin Peay and Murray State and went 1-1 in those contests. CALIPARI VERSUS THE OHIO VALLEY Memphis head coach John Calipari has a 6-1 record in games against members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Calipari has faced Austin Peay (1-1), Eastern Kentucky (1-0), Murray State (1-0), Tennessee-Martin (2-0) and Tennessee Tech (1-0). "RED" BIG ON THE BOARDS Memphis head coach John Calipari has been pushing Duane Erwin to be more assertive in the lane. The 6-foot-9 junior responded in a big way against Fordham Nov. 22. Erwin, known more by his nickname "Red," grabbed a career-high 18 boards in the 94-64 win over the Rams. His previous career high was 10 rebounds on two separate occasions (vs. Furman and Ole Miss in 2002-03). Erwin also had a career-high four steals against Fordham. CARNEY SETS CAREER HIGH Not to be outdone by Duane Erwin, Rodney Carney also set a career high against Fordham Nov. 22. The 6-foot-7 sophomore forward netted a career-best 23 points in the victory. His previous scoring high was 22 points last year versus East Carolina. In the win over Fordham, Carney also set career highs for field goals (9), field goals attempted (24) and steals (3). CALIPARI AMONG COACHING ELITE With Memphis' win over Fordham Nov. 22, head coach John Calipari moved into a special coaching fraternity. He is now ranked in the top 10 for wins by a coach in his first 12 seasons at the collegiate level. Calipari has 261 career coaching wins at the collegiate level, and this is his 12th season. He is tied with Pete Gillen, who had 261 victories in his first 12 seasons at Xavier and Providence. If he keeps on his average of 24 wins per season at Memphis, Calipari will finish in the No. 6 spot on the following list: Top Coaching Starts By Wins (First 12 Seasons) 1. Roy Williams, Kansas 1989-2000 329-82 2. Everett Case, N.C. State 1947-58 298-77 3. Denny Crum, Louisville 1972-83 295-78 4. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse 1977-88 287-93 5. Nolan Richardson, Tulsa & Arkansas 1981-92 286-100 6. Jerry Tarkanian, Long Beach St. & UNLV 1969-80 282-58 7. Wimp Sanderson, Alabama 1981-92 265-118 8. John Thompson, G'town 1973-84 262-104 8. Bob Huggins, Walsh, Akron & Cincinnati 1981-93 262-108 10. John Calipari, UMass & Memphis 2001-present 1989-96, 261-102 10. Pete Gillen, Xavier & Providence 1986-97 261-112 DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE Antonio Burks sure loves to dish the ball, and his teammates love him for it. But, Burks can also score, and that makes him a dual threat on the offensive end. The 6-foot senior guard showed both weapons in the Tigers' 94-64 victory over Fordham Nov. 22. Burks had 20 points and 10 assists in the win, marking the sixth double-double of his career. The following are Burks' career double-doubles: Opponent/Date Pts Asts Fordham/11-22-03 20 10 UAB/3-8-03 11 12 TCU/2-26-03 13 10 UAB/2-15-03 27 10 USM/2-1-03 10 12 UAB/1-23-02 12 10 RICE HOT FROM THE ARC Anthony Rice led the Tigers from the three-point line in 2002-03 with 56 treys, and he is picking up where he left off last year. After two games, the 6-foot-4 guard has hit six three-pointers and is hitting 42.9 percent from the arc. He entered his junior campaign with 104 career treys and now has 110. Rice is currently in seventh place on the Memphis career list for three-pointers and will continue to climb that chart during 2003-04. On his pace of hitting 52 three-pointers per season, Rice would finish 2003-04 with 156 treys, good enough for the No. 2 spot on the chart. The following is the career three-pointers leaders in Tiger history: Memphis Career Three-Pointers Player/Years No. of Treys 1. Marcus Moody/1997-2001 163 2. Mingo Johnson/1994-96 153 3. Elliot Perry/1987-91 143 4. Anfernee Hardaway/1991-93 142 5. Rodney Newsom/1992-96 141 6. Billy Smith/1990-93 114 7. Anthony Rice/2001-pres. 110 MEMPHIS AMONG C-USA ELITE The Tiger basketball program has had a long tradition of winning, and that has continued under head coach John Calipari. Since Calipari arrived for the 2000-01 campaign, the Tigers have been one of Conference USA's winningest programs and the following shows that: C-USA No. of Wins Since 2000-01 (updated through 11/27) Overall Conference Cincinnati 75 Marquette 36 Memphis 72 Memphis 35 Marquette 72 Cincinnati 34 Louisville 56 Charlotte 29 Charlotte 55 Louisville 27 USF 54 Saint Louis 26 UAB 52 USF 24 Saint Louis 50 UAB 22 Southern Miss 47 Houston 21 Tulane 40 Southern Miss 20 DePaul 39 Tulane 15 Houston 35 DePaul 14 TCU* 26 TCU* 9 East Carolina* 26 East Carolina* 8 * has played the last two seasons in C-USA LIGHTING IT UP FROM THE ARC Last year, the Tigers hit a school single-season record 210 three-pointers. On the pace Memphis is hitting treys in 2003-04, that record is in serious jeopardy. After two games, the Tigers have hit 23 three-pointers for an average of 11.5 made per contest. If that pace keeps up, Memphis would have over 300 three-pointers this season. The following lists the top five three-point shooting teams in Tiger history: Year No. of Treys 2002-03* 210 2000-01* 196 1994-95 191 1995-96 183 2001-02* 181 * team coached by Calipari TIGERS PICKED FOURTH IN C-USA Memphis was picked to finish fourth in Conference USA in a preseason vote by the league's coaches. The Tigers, which won the National Division title the previous two seasons, were selected fourth behind Conference USA favorite Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette. This season, C-USA is going to a 14-team division format, and each team will play 16 league games. From the 1997-98 campaign through the 2002-03 season, C-USA played a two-division format. With the new set-up, each school will play each other once for a total of 13 games. The other three games were added to the schedule based on geography, rivalries and television. Memphis' three additional contests are against Louisville, Southern Miss and TCU. GOING FOR ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON The Tigers opened their 2003-04 campaign Nov. 13, and they are looking for their fourth-straight 20-win season. If successful, it would be the first time Memphis has had four-consecutive years of 20 or more wins since 1985-86 through 1988-89. The U of M had back-to-back 20-win years during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons, as well as 1994-95 and 1995-96. Last year, Memphis posted its 20th win of the year with a 67-48 win over Cincinnati in early March, giving the Tigers their third-straight 20-win season. Under head coach John Calipari, Memphis has averaged 24 wins a year in his first three seasons at the helm.

11/28/03		Memphis Bids Farewell To Eight Seniors (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis football program will bid a fond farewell to eight seniors on this year's Tiger squad. The group includes just one offensive player, six members of the defensive unit and one special teams player. Playing their final home game as a Tiger will be wide receiver Darren Garcia, cat safety Derrick Ballard, linebackers Coot Terry, Will Hyden and Greg Harper, defensive ends Eric Taylor and Treveco Lucas and kicker Danny Haynes. Garcia has appeared in 41 games for the Tigers since the 2000 season and has lettered as a wide receiver each year. He played in eight games as a freshman but had just one reception but as a sophomore, the Millington, TN, native had 63 yards receiving. Last year Garcia started two games and finished the campaign with 19 catches for 204 yards including a career high 45 yards against Army. He upped his totals to 20 pass receptions for 228 yards this season and is currently ranked as the team's fifth leading receiver. Derrick Ballard came to the U of M in the fall of 2000 and immediately became an impact player for the Tigers. He started seven games as a freshman and was credited with 62 tackles. During his sophomore campaign, Ballard registered 60 tackles, including eight tackles for lost yardage and his first career pass interception which he returned for a touchdown against Southern Mississippi. The Georgia native totaled 101 tackles as a junior, intercepted three passes and was credited with 13 tackles for lost yardage. As a senior, Ballard is ranked fifth in tackles in his new position as a cat safety. He has 79 total hits, one pass interception, eight pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. The former All-Conference USA pick will finish his career with over 300 tackles. Coot Terry was recommended to Tiger coaches by former Memphis defensive back Jeremy Williams, who coached Terry in high school and he more than lived up to his early billing. After redshirting during the 1999 season and making the change from running back to linebacker, Terry started six games as a freshman. He had 58 tackles that first season and added one pass interception and eight tackles for lost yardage in being named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team. During his sophomore year, Terry played in all 11 games and logged 40 tackles and increased his totals to 60 tackles and one fumble recovery before injuries shortened his junior season. He has been credited with 83 tackles in 2003, giving him over 250 career stops. Greg Harper came to the Tigers as a walk-on candidate from Wooddale High School in Memphis. He redshirted as a freshman and immediately became a starter at linebacker in 2000. Harper recorded 46 tackles as a freshman and started nine games. He was the starter at linebacker in 10 games during 2001 and had 73 tackles, two fumble recoveries and one interception in the Southern Miss game. Battling a broken leg, Harper managed to play in seven games as a junior and recorded 37 tackles and a fumble recovery. He is currently ranked fourth on the tackle chart with 80 hits and has one pass interception and seven tackles for lost yardage. Harper will end his career with more than 230 tackles. Will Hyden is certainly a candidate for one of the most improved players in the nation for 2003. The former walk-on from Franklin, TN, Hyden spent three seasons working as a special teams player. He had two tackles in 2002 while playing on the Tiger cover teams and as a sophomore, caught a 19-yard pass on a fake punt in the Tigers win over Army at West Point. But this season has been magical for Hyden. He earned the Chris Faros Most Player Award in the spring of 2003 and became the Memphis starter at inside linebacker this fall. He leads the team in tackles this season with 89 and has contributed five tackles for lost yardage, one quarterback sack and one pass interception which blew open the Houston game. Hyden picked off a Kevin Kolb pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown which led to the Memphis win. Eric Taylor has been a mainstay in the defensive front for the Tigers for three years. He lettered during his first season with the Tigers and became a starter in six games as a sophomore. Taylor registered 32 tackles in his second season with Memphis and added for tackles for lost yardage and one quarterback sack. In 2002, he was credited with 30 tackles, 10 tackles for lost yardage and one sack despite playing most of the season with a broken hand. The Winchester, TN, native has had 64 total hits this season which include seven tackles for lost yardage, four quarterback sacks and one pass interception which he returned 52-yards for a touchdown in the Tigers' win over Louisville. His interception stopped all Cardinal momentum and helped the U of M to a 37-7 victory. Treveco Lucas is another of the local success stories at Memphis. The Westside High graduate was a walk-on at the U of M and through hard work, has become a starter at defensive end. Lucas spent two years at Memphis before he appeared in a game. In 2001, he played in 11 games and was the starter in two of those contests. He had 47 stops as a sophomore and was credited with 43 as a junior. This year Lucas 38 hits and eight tackles for lost yardage which ranks second among Tiger defenders. Rounding out the 2003 senior class is kicker Danny Haynes. Haynes came to the Tigers from East Central Mississippi Community College as a kicker and was slated as the starter in 2002 before a severe muscle pull held him out of action. The very popular Haynes played against Tulane this season and has provided support for Stephen Gostkowski at kicker.

11/28/03		At Moment Frozen In Time, Seniors Chose To Win (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 28, 2003 A rare Memphis snowfall last winter had blanketed the city. A coating of several inches that shut down schools and businesses had threatened to do the same to the University of Memphis's off-season conditioning drills. For Tiger coach Tommy West, it was a litmus test for his 2003 team. Would it weather the wintry conditions or use them as a convenient excuse to cancel a predawn workout? West's answer came in the form of a steady procession of cars navigating through snowy streets to the Murphy Athletic Complex on the U of M's south campus. One by one, the players walked to the practice fields in freezing cold, dressed in their warmups and trudging through the frozen precipitation to their designated stations. It was then that West knew this season would be different, that his third Tiger football team would succeed, led by a group of eight U of M seniors who will play their final home game Saturday at 1 p.m. against South Florida. "As bad as I'd love to take a lot of credit for this season, it's not me," West said. "If not for these seniors being the core, being positive, we wouldn't have come as far as we did. "Not only did we go through that (rigorous) off-season program, but we were excited about going through it. And they were not going to let me beat them. That's what I wanted." West has kept the tape of the workout in his office and has played it for visitors on numerous occasions. For West, it's an invigorating several minutes. Somewhere under those gray-hooded sweats are seniors Greg Harper, Treveco Lucas, Derrick Ballard, Will Hyden, Danny Haynes, Darren Garcia, Eric Taylor and Coot Terry. "I felt like after last year that we weren't a team, we were a bunch of individuals," West said. "I knew the only way I could make them a team was to make the (band) together against me. That's the only way I could make them bond. Those seniors bond ed this football team together. "They came together and Mother Nature cooperated when we went out in 4 inches of snow and a zero-degree chill factor. While the whole city shut down, we had a football team show up and not one person was late even though it was at 5:30 in the morning. I've had teams that would have boycotted." West said not only did the team put forth a solid effort, they were excited about it. Maybe it wasn't as grueling as Bear Bryant taking his Texas A&M team to Junction, Texas, but it served its purpose. "That's where we turned the corner," West said. "There's no doubt in my mind." Ballard, recruited heavily by West when the Tiger coach was defensive coordinator in 2000, said the group learned a lot from pushing through the severe conditions. On West's tape, ice can be heard breaking as the players repeatedly hit the ground during an up-down drill. "Anytime you can get up at 5 in the morning and go work out in the snow and you can't feel your hands and toes and your whole body is numb . . . that shows toughness right there," said Ballard, a starting strong safety and key member of a revitalized defense. "This year we haven't had a lot of people complaining about things that don't involve football. We've been focused and doing what we have to do to get the job done." Taylor, whose 52-yard interception return triggered a blowout at Louisville, said West always reminds the group to recall what got them to this point, the most successful season at Memphis in 30 years. "We all remember that (snowy) day," Taylor said. "On past teams, people just wouldn't have shown up. But we're a team now. And everybody showed up. We were calling people and getting everybody up to make sure they came. We wanted to achieve a goal." West agrees with Taylor about the makeup of previous teams and their lack of commitment. "We had the talent the year before, but we just weren't a football team," West said. "We were a group of individuals. We had to become a team. We had to become mentally tougher. That's what the off-season program did. "That's why I'm so proud of our seniors. They held it together. They stayed positive." West said he routinely doesn't single out senior classes, but this one forced his hand. "I didn't talk about 'em last year because I didn't like 'em," West said. "I liked some of them as individuals, but collectively I didn't like 'em. And I had a team my first year here (in 2001) that moaned and groaned about how long I practiced them on a Friday before the Cincinnati game to get them bowl eligible. "But these eight (seniors) right here didn't let themselves become losers. They didn't develop that losing attitude. They listened. They didn't have more answers than I did." Ballard said the off-season conditioning, coupled with new defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn's exhausting preseason drills, created a tougher defense, one that Ballard said has been strong in the fourth quarter in every game. As optimistic as he was about this season, Ballard admits he didn't know if he'd be part of the class that helped end an eight-year losing streak and a 32-year bowl drought. "Every year I've been here, before the season starts, a whole bunch of guys would get together and say this is the year," Ballard said. "After a few years you start thinking, 'I don't think the year is ever going to come.'" - Phil Stukenborg:529-2543

11/28/03		The U of M Seniors (Commercial Appeal)
		Derrick Ballard, safety, Madison, Ga. Four-year starter, led team in tackles (101) in '02 Darren Garcia, WR, Millington 47 career catches for 513 yards, 0 TDs Greg Harper, LB, Memphis (Wooddale) Former walk-on is four-year starter, 27 career TFLs Danny Haynes, kicker, Florence, Ala. JC transfer in 2002, battled injuries as a junior Will Hyden, LB, Franklin, Tenn. Ex walk-on became starter in '03, leads team in tackles (89) Treveco Lucas, DE, Memphis (Westside) Ex-walk-on is two-year starter, had 8 TFLs this fall Eric Taylor, DT, Winchester, Tenn. 52-yard interception for TD sparked win over Louisville Coot Terry, LB, Manchester, Ga. Four-year starter leads team in QB hurries (10), TFL (9) and sacks (6)

11/28/03		C-USA Rankings (Commercial Appeal)
		1. Southern Miss (8-3 overall, 7-0 in Conference USA) - Golden Eagles on their way to perfect C-USA league mark. 2. TCU (10-1, 7-1) - Horned Frogs blew a great opportunity. 3. Memphis (8-3, 5-2) - Can the Tigers keep winning without DeAngelo? 4. Louisville (8-3, 4-3) - What a weird week in Louisville. 5. UAB (5-6, 4-3) - Blazers still have a shot to get bowl eligible. 6. USF (6-4, 4-3) - But the Bulls don't. 7. Houston (6-5, 3-4) - Big game between Cougars and UAB Saturday. 8. Cincinnati (5-6, 2-5) - FireRickMinter.com is still up and running. 9. Tulane (5-7, 3-5) - Can a similar site for Chris Scelfo be far behind? 10. East Carolina (1-10, 1-6) - John Thompson can only hope his old boss takes it easy on him Saturday. 11. Army (0-12, 0-8) - Black Knights get a week off before showdown with Navy. - Rankings by Gary Parrish

11/28/03		Tigers' Bowl Could Hinge On TCU Exams (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 28, 2003 Slow down with those reservations in New Orleans, University of Memphis fans. Because TCU athletic director Eric Hyman has told The Washington Post he will likely decline an expected invitation to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., which could affect the Tigers. TCU had dreamed of a berth in a BCS bowl. But when the Horned Frogs were beaten by Southern Miss last week, the chance of that happening disappeared and the Golden Eagles clinched at least a share of the league title. Consequently, USM will receive an invitation to the Liberty Bowl, leaving the GMAC Bowl in a position to take TCU and match it with another one-loss school in Miami-Ohio on Dec. 18. However, TCU has final exams that week, and Hyman doesn't want to interfere with his players' studies. "I can't do that," he told The Post. "I have to be sensitive to our young people. They are student-athletes, but they are also students, and they are coming to school to get an education. "We cannot disrupt their exams," Hyman added. "It's not fair to them." By passing on the invitation, TCU would give up $750,000 and considerable national exposure. Also, it would force the GMAC Bowl to take another C-USA school with Memphis probably the choice because of its proximity to Mobile and the likelihood that many U o fM fans will travel. On Thursday, Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson said though most Memphis supporters have told him they'd rather play in the New Orleans Bowl, the school would have no hesitations about accepting an invitation to Mobile. "I think New Orleans is probably the preference," he said. "But truthfully, there's just a lot of excitement that we're going to any bowl." Attempts by The Commercial Appeal to reach GMAC Bowl president Jerry Silverstein on Thursday were unsuccessful. - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/28/03		Healthy Hunt Finally Set To Play For U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 28, 2003 Jeremy Hunt went to the doctor again this week. The x-rays were wonderful. He was cleared to play. And now the University of Memphis sophomore hopes you never have to see him on the bench in a suit again . . . even if his suits are snazzy. ''I know some positive has to come out of this,'' Hunt said as he sat on a bench on the side of the Finch Center court and prepared for practice. ''I know God hasn't made me go through all this for nothing.'' Memphis (1-1) hosts Austin Peay (1-1) Saturday night in a game that gives the Tigers an opportunity to avenge a loss to the Govs last season. That Hunt will be available only boosts the U of M's chances and moves John Calipari's team a notch closer to what it is the coach thinks it can become. And Hunt? A relentless slasher. A great defender. A solid shooter. A fearless competitor. Those are four ways to describe Hunt pretty accurately. But because Hunt's had three surgeries on his left foot since his 2002 graduation from Craigmont High, Tiger fans have mostly had to take Calipari's word about how talented his often-described gymrat is while being left to cross their fingers in hopes they'll someday get to consistently see it. Here's the numbers: Since Hunt enrolled, the Tigers have played 32 games, with him a part of 20 of them. Memphis is 8-4 without Hunt and 16-4 with him. Which brings us to an interesting question: In recent Tiger basketball history, has any injury - David Vaughn's ACL? Kelly Wise's knee? - been so detrimental to the program? ''When I hurt it this time, I just thought I would have to sit out for a little while and rest it,'' Hunt explained. ''But then they told me that I had to have surgery again, and I was like, 'Man, this is three times in two years.' '' Because it has been three surgeries in two years on the same foot, there are some who wonder if this will be a problem that hinders Hunt throughout his career. If you believe in trends, then the answer is yes. But if you believe in modern technology, the answer is no. Or at least there's no reason to believe such. ''He's fine now,'' said Memphis trainer Jennifer Bricker. ''(His chances of hurting his foot again) are no different than the chances of any other player hurting his foot.'' It's probably worth pointing out that Hunt is not expected to come in and play 30 minutes right away. Though his foot is sound, he is in no kind of basketball shape and will likely get winded quickly and only play a few carefully chosen stints initially. But when Hunt does get back to the level he normally plays, the Tigers will have another option in an already-loaded backcourt. He can run the point. He can play shooting guard or out on the wing. But no matter the position, Hunt insisted he has simple goals for this season. ''I just want to stay healthy,'' he said. ''And I want to help take this team to another level.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/28/03		Lady Tigers Set To Open Classic (Commercial Appeal)
		By Todd Vinyard Contact November 28, 2003 University of Memphis women's basketball coach Joye Lee-McNelis was happy to see the focus her team showed early this week in a 71-50 victory at Tennessee Tech. "I was so proud of the way this team was able to fight through what looked to be a momentum swing," Lee-McNelis said. "Tech started to really close the gap, but this team rallied and managed to swing things back in our direction and never gave up the lead again." That type of effort will be required again when the 18th Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic starts tonight. The two-day tournament features Ole Miss, Nebraska and Eastern Kentucky. The Lady Tigers (2-0) open the tournament today against EKU (1-1) at 6 p.m. Ole Miss (2-1) and Nebraska (2-0) will meet at 8 p.m. On Saturday, the championship game will follow the consolation game, which starts at 5 p.m. Memphis has won the tournament 11 straight years. "Memphis has a very talented team, and this is going to be a tough game," said Eastern Kentucky coach Larry Joe Inman. Victoria Crawford has been tough for the Lady Tigers off the bench, averaging 19.5 points per game while hitting 10-of-13 field goals, including both of her 3-point tries, and 17-of-21 free throws. Crawford, a 5-7 junior forward, is part of a strong Lady Tigers's bench. The Memphis reserves have combined for 86 points and 36 rebounds this season. The U of M bench and starters will face a strong shooting Lady Colonels team. EKU leads the Ohio Valley Conference in 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers made. EKU has hit 18 treys in 42 attempts for a 42.9 percentage from behind the arc. In the other contest, first-year Lady Rebel coach Carol Ross comes to Memphis with former White Station star Ashley Awkward and the Ole Miss team. Seniors center Katie Morse (knee injury) and guard Keasha Cannon-Johnson (redshirt) have made strong returns for Nebraska early this season. - Todd Vinyard: 529-2343

11/26/03		Lady Tigers Host 19th Annual Lady Tiger Kroger Classic (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - This Week: Memphis will be very busy this week, hosting the 19th annual Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. The tournament, which is sponsored by Kroger, will also feature Ole Miss, Eastern Kentucky and Nebraska. The Lady Tigers will open the tourney on Friday against EKU at 6 p.m. Ole Miss and Nebraska will meet at 8 p.m. The consolation game will be played Saturday at 5 p.m., with the championship game to follow. Memphis has won the tournament the last 11 straight years. Last season, Memphis defeated Michigan State, 59-56, in the championship game. The Lady Tigers enter the tournament with a 2-0 record after picking up one of their biggest wins in the last couple of years. Memphis took to the road early this week and left Cookeville with a 71-50 victory over Tennessee Tech. It was only the fifth time in 19 meetings that Memphis had defeated Tech, and was the first time ever that the Lady Tigers had left Cookeville with a win. Junior Victoria Crawford currently leads the Lady Tigers in scoring with an average of 19.5 points per game. Sophomore Tamika Butler and junior Jennifer Sullivan, who both posted career highs in scoring against Tech, follow Crawford with averages of 14.0 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Freshman Megan Gooch, who has started both games this season, is the leading rebounder with an average of 6.0 boards per game. Scouting EKU: The Lady Colonels are 1-1 on the year with a win over Gardner-Webb, 69-59, and a loss to Miami, 90-81, last weekend in the Morehead State Tip-off Classic. Leigh Carr and Ashleigh Huffman both recorded career highs against Miami, as Carr totaled 17 points and Huffman chipped in 13. EKU was picked in the preseason to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference, after finishing 18-11 overall; 10-6 in the OVC, last season. Coach Larry Joe Inman is expected to start sophomore Laura Shelton and senior Katie Kelly at guard; junior Miranda Eckerle at center; and juniors Candis Cook and Pam Garrett at forward. Carr leads the squad in scoring with 15.0 ppg., and Eckerle is the leading rebounder with 8.5 boards a game. The Series: The Lady Tigers own a 4-0 series advantage over EKU, dating back to the 1974-74 season. Memphis picked up a win in 1973-74, and two victories in 1974-75, before the series took a 26-year break. The last time the two squads met was an 89-66 Memphis win during the 2000-01 season at the Rice University tournament. The only time that Memphis and Nebraska met was in 1977-78 when the Lady Tigers picked up the 88-55 win on the road. Ole Miss owns a 29-12 series advantage dating back to the 1972-73 season. The Lady Rebels have won eight of the last 10 meetings, including the last three straight games. The last meeting with the Lady Rebels was in 1999-2000, when Ole Miss hosted the 71-50 victory. The Lady Tigers are 6-8 in games played in Memphis. Up Next: The Lady Tigers will face either Ole Miss (2-1) or Nebraska (2-0) on Saturday. Nebraska has wins over Wofford (104-46) and Princeton (75-61), while Ole Miss has defeated Jackson State (83-58) and Belmont (78-62) and lost to Rutgers on the road (65-50).

11/26/03		Burks Pushes For Elite Status In Assist Category (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 26, 2003 You look at the numbers. You look at the history. Then you consider the style of play and ask the obvious question: Can Antonio Burks lead the nation in assists this season? Though it may sound silly at first, it's not a farfetched idea. In fact, if the University of Memphis senior continues at this early pace he should finish among the best point guards in the country, which would probably also make the Tigers one of the better teams in Conference USA. ''That's my goal,'' Burks said without hesitation. ''I want to finish in the top three in assists in the country. I don't know what that number is. But whatever it is, that's what I want to average.'' The NCAA won't start compiling statistics for several weeks, so it's virtually impossible to know who leads what in what. But last season Illinois-Chicago's Martell Bailey paced all Division 1 players with an average of 8.1 assists per game, while St. Bonaventure's Marques Green (8.0) and Texas's T. J. Ford (7.7) finished second and third. Using those numbers as the barometer, Burks's goal seems realistic. Through two games - a loss to Wake Forest and victory over Fordham - he's averaging 9.5 assists. And before labeling that just a couple of fluke performances, remember that the Booker T. Washington High graduate had 17 dishes against the Universal All-Stars and 15 against Team Georgia in a pair of exhibitions that don't count but still indicate just how productive Burks can be. ''He just flies up and down the floor,'' said Austin Peay coach Dave Loos, the former Tiger who will bring his Govs into The Pyramid for a Saturday night contest. ''The way he pushes the ball, that's really a concern. (To make sure he doesn't get double-digit assists) you have to stop the ball and try to make them play five-on-five. But it's much easier said than done against him.'' Because Memphis usually has four superb athletes on the floor at the same time, John Calipari wants to push the ball on every defensive rebound. And when it comes to pushing, there are few who do it as fast as Burks. Consequently, it's not uncommon for him to blow past his man, which gives the opposition two choices that are very much a pick-your-poison scenario: 1. Let Burks go into the lane uncontested for a finger roll. 2. Somebody else leaves his man and forces the ball out of Burks's hands. The first option isn't an option at all, while the second isn't too solid either. Because the moment a defender leaves Rodney Carney or Anthony Rice or Sean Banks or Billy Richmond, Burks can find them for an open jumper that can turn into an easy assist. ''With the way we're playing, I think he could lead the nation in assists,'' said U of M sophomore Jeremy Hunt. ''We're playing really fast. And then we've got shooters like Rodney and Rice. And then with me and Bill and Sean (to throw the ball to), I don't see why he couldn't average a lot of assists. ''I won't be surprised if Burks averages nine, 10 or 11 assists a game.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/26/03		Freshman Latest In Long Line Of Success Stories In Tiger Secondary (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 26, 2003 Jerome Woods. Idrees Bashir. Mike McKenzie. Reggie Howard. Michael Stone. Ken Irvin. Recognize the common thread among this list? It's an honor roll, of sorts, of former University of Memphis defensive backs who have found homes in NFL secondaries during the past decade. Before the U of M put together its magical, bowl-bound season - which continues with Saturday's regular-season finale against South Florida - it was one of the few successes the program enjoyed. Now comes Wesley Smith, a redshirt freshman from Oxford, Miss., who may be that rare defensive back that finds team success both in Memphis and at the next level. While it may be too early to project Smith (6-3, 180) as a future NFL player, he's given the Tigers (8-3) a playmaker in the secondary. A rangy player with speed who's one of the team's hardest-hitting defensive backs, Smith leads the Tigers with three interceptions and is among the team leaders in pass breakups (seven). He came up with his biggest pick of the season - one that kept the U of M's winning streak alive - in last weekend's 21-16 Conference USA victory over Cincinnati. Smith picked off a Gino Guidugli pass midway through the fourth quarter and returned it 36 yards to the Bearcat 9. The return set up Darron White's game-winning touchdown run and extended the U of M winning streak to five. Smith, who earned C-USA defensive player of the week honors, said he happened to be in the "right place at the right time," something he's made a habit of during the second half of the season. Two of Smith's interceptions have come in the team's past three games. He broke up five passes in the win over Cincinnati, including a deflection of a touchdown-seeking bullet from Guidugli to Thaddeus Lewis in the third quarter. He also dropped Guidugli for a 5-yard loss on the previous play. "I think he has a lot more confidence in the fact that he knows what to do and where he is expected to be," said Tiger defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn. "That's the biggest thing." Before he emerged as a key member of the secondary, Smith was known mostly for his unique background. He chose Memphis despite growing up in Oxford, Miss., and having parents that worked at Ole Miss. But as the year has progressed, his ability to confound opposing quarterbacks and harass receivers has been his story line. "I have a lot of respect for Wes," Tiger strong safety Derrick Ballard said. "Wesley had a great spring. I know there are times when people have great springs and then the season comes around and they don't show up." But, Ballard said, Smith lived up to his strong spring. "Wesley had a lot of pressure on his shoulders," Ballard said. "He plays the free safety spot. That's a big spot for a coach Dunn defense. A lot of times you'll be the only guy back there to make the tackle. "He had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, but he handled it well." Tiger coach Tommy West said Smith has been making more plays since the team's third game of the season. He had a season-high 12 tackles in Game 6 - a 35-27 loss at Mississippi State. "He has been very sound for a freshman," West said. While some have compared Smith to Bashir, a member of the Indianapolis Colts, West said Smith is more physical than Bashir and that Bashir had better cover skills. "Wesley is more of the free safety that can roam around and hit you," West said. "And he can run, boy can he run. He can run and hit and is an adequate cover guy." West said it didn't surprise him that Smith nearly scored on the interception against Cincinnati. Tiger linebacker Coot Terry wasn't shocked, either. "He has stepped up in a big way," Terry said. "He's a guy who has a knack for the ball and great athletic ability." Dunn said it will be interesting to watch Smith's skills develop. "I think the sky is the limit for him," Dunn said. "He can run like a deer. He just needs to work on the little things now, things that will help him become a player at the next level." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/26/03		Tigers-South Florida Notebook (Commercial Appeal)
		University of Memphis athletic director R. C. Johnson said he'd like to extend football coach Tommy West's contract three years through the 2008 season as a reward for the team's success this fall. West was given a five-year deal, with an original base salary of $139,725 and a total package of about $250,000 when he was hired to replace Rip Scherer before the 2001 season. University raises since the contract was signed have boosted the base salary to about $146,000. "I've told both Tommy and (basketball coach) John (Calipari) that my master plan was to get John's contract (extended) before we really got into basketball season and Tommy's done before we really get into the bowl season," Johnson said. "My intent is to still get that done. "They've both done everything we've asked them to do. We brought them both here to win and to improve the graduation rate, to improve our status in the community, to sell tickets and to be involved in public relations. They have done that." West will be given a raise, but Johnson said no specific figure has been finalized. Stretching their lead With an announced crowd of 42,884 for last weekend's home game against Cincinnati, Memphis upped its Conference USA-leading attendance average to 39,413. The Tigers lead second-place Louisville (36,771) by more than 2,600. TCU is third (36,155), East Carolina is fourth (34,780) and Army is fifth (30,794). Big East-bound South Florida is sixth at 30,512 and Cincinnati, also headed for the Big East, is ninth at 23,794. Another big crowd U of M officials said Monday about 46,000 tickets have been distributed for Saturday's game against South Florida. The game has been designated FedEx Appreciation Day, with the Memphis-based company having purchased about 15,000 tickets. If Memphis attracts a crowd in the mid-40,000s, it will end the season with a 40,000-plus attendance average for the first time since 1976. The 1976 team, which won seven games, averaged 40,280. If the Tigers attract 45,490 Saturday they'll break the school's attendance record of 281,966. Injury updates Tiger coach Tommy West said Monday that offensive linemen Gene Frederic and Jeremy Rone, who were injured against Cincinnati, "should be OK by Saturday." - By Phil Stukenborg

11/25/03		DeReplacement -- Parquet Must Step Up To Meet Challenge (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 25, 2003 The University of Memphis locker room at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium had emptied. All that remained an hour after Saturday's 21-16 Tiger victory over Cincinnati were several student managers and coaches, a few defensive players, quarterback Danny Wimprine and running back Derron Parquet. One by one they collected their belongings and walked out to celebrate the team's eighth victory in what has become the program's most successful season in 30 years. As Parquet made his way to the door, his stride was temporarily halted. Murray Armstrong, affiliated with the program for the past 42 years, reached out and grabbed Parquet's arm. "You got to carry the load now," said Armstrong, the facilities coordinator and former special teams coach. "So take care of yourself off the field." When the Tigers (8-3 overall, 5-2 in C-USA) resume practice today in preparation for Saturday's regular-season fi-nale against South Florida (6-4, 4-3) at the Liberty Bowl, Parquet will find himself in the spotlight. In last weekend's Conference USA victory, Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams, the favorite for C-USA offensive player of the year honors, tore ligaments in his left knee and will miss three to five weeks and possibly the team's mid-December bowl appearance. Parquet, the former LSU running back, will move into Williams's vacated spot. Williams leads the team and the conference with 1,430 rushing yards, or an average of 130 yards per game. He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry. With 314 yards on 66 attempts, Parquet is the team's second-leading rusher. He is averaging 4.8 yards per carry. "I'm certainly not going to say that losing DeAngelo won't hurt our team," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "But on good teams somebody always steps up." Parquet will bring a different running style to the Tiger backfield. While Williams was a threat running to the outside, Parquet will be effective between the tackles. "He's a little more of a punishing runner," West said. "The run he made (Saturday) to get the first down, he carried their linebacker for 3 yards." Parquet rushed 12 times for 31 yards against Cincinnati. He also caught a short pass from Wimprine and turned it into a 36-yard pickup. "I think he has kind of grown as a player as he has gotten experience this year," Wimprine said of Parquet. "I think as he continues to play he'll continue to contribute and get better." Wimprine said Parquet's per for mance Saturday impressed him on several fronts. Parquet broke several tackles on his pass reception and was a key figure during the team's final drive, one that had Parquet rush six times to run the final 3:18 off the clock. "He helped us run off the clock, which was a huge deal for us," Wimprine said. "We didn't want to give (Cincinnati) the ball back. "I know one time we needed 1 or 2 yards to get a first down (third-and-1 from the Memphis 39) and he stuck his shoulder down and ran over somebody and got us some extra yards." Parquet said while it's an opportunity for him to contribute to the program's dream season, he's somewhat saddened by how it developed. "DeAngelo is a warrior," Parquet said. "It's kind of crazy. When I first got here I taught him to pass block and do everything and now he's the one coming to me and (advising) me. We kind of swapped roles." Which is what they'll be doing Saturday. "I know DeAngelo will be there supporting me," Parquet said. "No matter what." West will be there supporting him, too, watching Parquet approach the situation some what differently than he might have earlier this season. "I think he's more appreciative of this opportunity," West said. "In the past, Derron may have taken this opportunity for granted. "I think what Derron's been through - sitting out a year (under NCAA transfer rules) and going through a (severe) ankle injury early in the year - has changed his outlook. I think he covets this situation." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/25/03		Tigers-USF Notebook (Commercial Appeal)
		Williams to miss 3-to-5 weeks: Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams underwent an MRI Monday, and the examination confirmed the standout sophomore has a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee and will miss 3-to-5 weeks. Williams was injured while gaining 2 yards to the Cincinnati 1-yard line in the third quarter of last Saturday's 21-16 Conference USA victory over the Bearcats. Williams, C-USA's leading rusher (1,430 yards) and the nation's all-purpose yardage leader (192.1 yards per game), could be available when the Tigers play in their first bowl game in 32 years if he recovers quickly. Memphis is a candidate for the Dec. 16 New Orleans Bowl, which is three weeks from today and the earliest of the four potential bowl opportunities for the Tigers. Stretching their lead: With an announced crowd of 42,884 for last weekend's home game against Cincinnati, Memphis upped its Conference USA-leading attendance average to 39,413. The Tigers lead second-place Louisville (36,771) by more than 2,600. TCU is third (36,155), East Carolina is fourth (34,780) and Army is fifth (30,794). Big East-bound South Florida is sixth at 30,512 and Cincinnati, also headed for the Big East, is ninth at 23,794. The Tigers could wrap up the season-attendance crown in their finale Saturday against South Florida. Another large turnout expected: U of M officials said Monday about 46,000 tickets have been distributed. The game is designated FedEx Appreciation Day, with the Memphis-based company having purchased about 15,000 tickets for its employees. If Memphis attracts a crowd in the mid-40,000 range, it will end the season with a 40,000-plus attendance average for the first time since 1976. The 1976 team, which won seven games, averaged 40,280. If the Tigers attract 45,490 Saturday, they'll break the school's single-season attendance total of 281,966. Injury updates: Tiger coach Tommy West said Monday that offensive linemen Gene Frederic and Jeremy Rone, who were injured against Cincinnati, will be evaluated daily, but "should be OK by Saturday." - By Phil Stukenborg

11/25/03		C-USA Honors Tiger (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 25, 2003 University of Memphis defensive back Wesley Smith, whose fourth-quarter interception sparked the Tigers' 21-16 come-from-behind victory Saturday over Cincinnati, was named the Conference USA defensive player of the week Monday. Smith, a redshirt freshman from Oxford, Miss., returned a Gino Guidugli interception 36 yards to the Cincinnati 9-yard line midway through the final quarter. The play led to a short, game-winning touchdown run by Darron White. In addition to the interception, Smith's third of the season, he had five pass breakups and a tackle for lost yardage. But it was his interception that allowed the Tigers (8-3) to overcome the loss of standout running back DeAngelo Williams and post their fifth straight victory. "We knew if we kept playing like we had been playing the turnovers were going to come," Smith said. "And (the interception) came at the right time." Smith said Guidugli's pass, thrown against a strong wind, hung up in the air. The ball was spinning side-to-side as Smith settled under it. "I looked up and saw the ball flopping around," he said. "I just ran up under it and was in the right place at the right time." Tiger coach Tommy West said Smith "is probably playing as good as anybody in the secondary." Smith leads the team in interceptions and ranks second in tackles with 88. Smith's award marked the second time this season a Tiger defender has been honored. Linebacker Will Hyden was selected Oct. 20 after he returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown to spark a win at Houston.

11/25/03		A Record Run -- Taking Over Tigers vs. USF (Commercial Appeal)
		Sophomore DeAngelo Williams will miss Saturday's regular-season finale vs. South Florida, but he's already set the following four U of M single-season records: MOST RUSHES 243 MOST RUSHING YARDS 1,430 MOST ALL-PURPOSE YARDS 2,113 MOST 100-YARD GAMES 10 Junior Derron Parquet, a transfer from LSU, should get most of the carries with Williams out. Parquet's numbers this season: CARRIES 66 YARDS 314 YARDS/RUSH 4.8 TDs 0 When: Saturday, 1 p.m. Where: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Records: Memphis 8-3 (5-2 C-USA); South Florida 6-4 (4-3). Tickets: Call 678-2331 or 1-888-867-UofM.

11/25/03		Bold Talk Becomes Bowl Talk (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 25, 2003 "I guarantee it." That was "Broadway Joe" Namath 34 years ago, the courage of a double scotch in his hand, telling the world his New York Jets would beat the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl 3. What would Broadway Joe have done as head football coach at the University of Memphis, his team 3-3, fresh off a loss to a miserable Mississippi State team and the program's last bowl game 32 years in the rearview mirror? What would Broadway Joe have guaranteed then - that at halftime next week a band would play? Look, anybody can guarantee one game, OK, Joe? Meantime, there was Tigers coach Tommy West - and without aid of a double scotch - looking his team square in the face and saying, "We're fixin' to go 9-3, guys. Get ready." And then there he was sharing this preposterous statement with the media, which is like supplying the rope for your own hanging. "The one thing in our game is sometimes people are afraid to say what they feel because, what if it doesn't happen?" West said Monday after his weekly press conference. It's become a way of coaching life, hasn't it? Most coaches, always fearing criticism, deliver their pitches with more spin than a big-league curveball. And then here comes Tommy West fooling you with the old knuckleball - no spin. It's an endearing, but dangerous, approach. Today West's Tigers are five-sixths of the way to making good on the coach's 9-3 guarantee. "Bold," said quarterback Danny Wimprine. "I like that." Not just bold; bolder than Broadway Joe ever considered. Of course, officially, West might not fully deliver on his guarantee. Tailback DeAngelo Williams, injured in Saturday's win over Cincinnati, is gone for the season. So is big-play receiver Maurice Avery. The Tigers could lose to South Florida on Saturday and have to settle for 8-4 and their first bowl trip in 32 years. Technically, that would leave Namath undefeated and West 5-1. "The moral of that story is he's not as dumb as I am," West said. Typical Tommy. Self-effacing in the spotlight, boldly confident when his team seems forever trapped in the darkness. The point is, regardless of what happens Saturday, West has to be the Conference USA Coach of the Year. Yes, Jeff Bower has done his usual solid job at Southern Miss. True, Gary Patterson had TCU knocking on the BCS door, even if no one was ever going to let in the likes of Horned Frogs. Even first-year Houston coach Art Briles is working a small miracle with the Cougars. But West is working a large miracle with the Tigers. "I really don't know how you could pick anybody else," said Wimprine. "It could be a total turnaround in one year from 3-9 to 9-3." In one year, but also over three decades, seeing as how 1971 was the last time the Tigers went to a bowl. "Miracle in Memphis," that's what you'd have to call the stage play. Unfortunately, Memphis is off-off-Broadway. So, nationally, the miracle goes unnoticed. If Tommy West does this at Vanderbilt, he's a candidate for National Coach of the Year. He should be still, but that's not how it works. West, who ran the show at Clemson for five years, knew all this three years ago when he went from Memphis defensive coordinator to head coach. He accepted what Memphis wasn't - high-profile - but refused to accept the wildly popular notion that it could never become what he's made it: legitimate. So after watching his team play a great second half against Mississippi State in Starkville, West saw hope where others might have only seen failure. "We didn't win," West said, his Georgia drawl picking up steam, "but damn, we looked good." They have looked good ever since. They have won five in a row. The defense has hit its jaw-jarring stride under Joe Lee Dunn - "my best signee," West said - and the offense has rolled up many yards and points. It is a "Miracle in Memphis." Or in a single word deserving of Broadway treatment: "Tommy." Contact reporter Don Wade at 529-2358; E-mail: waded@commercial appeal.com

11/25/03		Lady Tigers End Jinx At Tennessee Tech (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services November 25, 2003 The University of Memphis women's basketball team improved to 2-0 on the season with a 71-50 win over Tennessee Tech in Cookeville Monday night. The victory was the first for the Lady Tigers in Cookeville, after having lost their previous four games on the Golden Eaglettes' home floor. Memphis also gains a bit of revenge from last season's 67-64 loss at the Elma Roane Field House. Tech drops to 0-2. Tamika Butler paced the Lady Tiger offense with 18 points and six assists, while shooting 5-of-11 from three-point range. Jennifer Sullivan added a career-best 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting as Memphis shot 49 per cent from the field. "It was a great team effort," said U of M coach Joye-Lee McNelis. "I was extremely proud of our bench, because when things got tough they came in and stayed composed." Freshman Megan Gooch led Memphis with nine rebounds.

11/24/03		Lady Tigers Improve To 2-0 With Win Over Tennessee Tech (GoTigersGo.com)
		Cookeville, Tenn. - For only the fifth time in 19 meetings, the University of Memphis women's basketball team defeated Tennessee Tech and improve to 2-0 on the year. The 71-50 win snapped a three-game losing streak to Tennessee Tech and marked the first ever Memphis win over Tech in Cookeville, Tenn. "What a huge win," said Coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "This was a great team effort. I was especially proud of our bench because even when things got tough, they came in and stayed composed. What I was most excited about was the fact that in the second half, even when Tech started to come back, we didn't lose our focus. "I was so proud of the way this team was able to fight through what looked to be a momentum swing," added McNelis. "Tech started to really close the gap, but this team rallied and managed to swing things back in our direction and never gave up the lead again." Sophomore Tamika Butler led the Lady Tigers in scoring, tying her career-high of 18 points. Butler hit 6-of-16 shots from the field, including a 5-of-11 effort from behind the arc. Butler also dished out a team-high six assists, and forced two steals. Junior Jennifer Sullivan was second on the squad in scoring with a career-high 17 points off a 7-of-9 effort from the field and a 3-of-6 showing from the free-throw line. Sullivan spent a signi